Mumbai records 2nd highest June rain in 10 yrs

MUMBAI: Monsoon may have had a delayed start but in the two days that it poured in the city, it toppled some records as well as covered about 97% of the average required June rainfall.

In 24 hours ending Saturday 8.30am, IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded 234.8mm — the highest 24-hour June rain since 2015. Also, Saturday’s rain is the second highest June rainfall in Mumbai in a 24-hour period in the last decade. The IMD classifies rainfall of 234.8mm and more as “extremely heavy”. Most areas of eastern and western suburbs received over 200mm rains in the 24 hours.
Heavy rains lashed Thane (237.5mm) and Navi Mumbai (245.2mm) too in the 24-hour period. On a positive note, in the 24 hours, it was a windfall in some catchment areas as Vihar received 376mm, Morbhe 300.2mm and Tulsi 293mm. Vihar and Tulsi send water to Mumbai whereas, Morbhe supplies Navi Mumbai.
Tree falls were rampant in Mumbai and its neighbouring region. They also led to two accidents that claimed two lives. An electrician, Nagesh Nirakki, was electrocuted in Thane after he came in contact with a live wire that snapped following a tree fall. In Ambernath, an auto driver died after a tree fell on an extension wire which collapsed on his vehicle.
While two instances of landslides were reported in Marol and Ghatkopar, a cave-in was reported at Virar station platform. Luckily, there were no casualties.
Also, boulders collapsed along the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Pune Expressway on Saturday morning. The intensity of rainfall is likely to reduce on Sunday and pick up again around July 4, said IMD officials.